The National Pork Producers Council met with USDA officials Wednesday and demanded that USDA stand up for the agriculture industry. NPPC says USDA should defend the sale of trademarked assets being questioned in court. NPPC sold The Other White Meat slogan and pork chop logo to the National Pork Board in 2006. The Humane Society filed a lawsuit against the sale, along with an Iowa farmer, in 2012. The case was initially thrown out, but an appeals court allowed the lawsuit to proceed last fall. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has said USDA is in settlement talks with HSUS. However, in a meeting with NPPC Wednesday, USDA gave no indication where the agency stands on the case. John Weber, the Council’s President, says the organization is “concerned that even though USDA has a very strong legal position, it isn’t defending a contract it approved,” adding that “we’re concerned that USDA already has thrown in the towel.”